Speechless in front of the camera? Language Animation is a way to support interaction in digital international youth work, activating and energizing participants regardless of their language skills. In the DIY² Lab on March 10th, 2022 (2 - 3:30 p.m. CET), participants found out about the amazing effects of language animation activities adapted to online settings.
Language Animation is a non-formal method that helps people overcome inhibitions and establish (natural) communication settings between participants. It is not about the structured learning of a foreign language - the way pupils learn languages at school - instead it is about having fun using the partner language(s). Moreover, the interactive character of Language Animation can foster group dynamics. These positive aspects also apply to virtual space.
The DIY² Lab was supported by Bettina Wissing, project manager at IJAB’s Language Unit. She has been dealing with language animation for many years, starting with German-French youth exchanges, later on coordinating the setting up of language animation for German-Greek youth exchanges and recently adapting the method to virtual contexts.
